


The Hale Fire

by ScilesMcCallinski



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Chris saves Peter, Could be Petopher, Gen, Good Peter, I don't know, If you look REALLY close, Just what I imagine happened, Peter Has Feelings, Peter is possibly a little TOO nice, The Hale Fire, really short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-13 15:52:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13573839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScilesMcCallinski/pseuds/ScilesMcCallinski
Summary: Chris saves Peter from the fire that night. *This is just what I imagine happened the night of the fire, it's really short but I might end up adding to it if anyone thinks I shoulder because I feel like it could go somewhere? Not sure*





	The Hale Fire

Peter was only gone for twenty minutes - twenty-five at most. And yet, that was enough time for his whole world to come crashing down in flames. Quite literally.

He walks out of the house, Laura following closely behind him because she refuses to let Peter go alone. He doesn't argue, striding further into the dark woods as he complains, swearing that when he finds Derek, he's gonna kill him.

Of course, it's an empty threat; he's more worried about his nephew, wandering through the woods alone at night, and this close to a full moon as well. There's going to be hunters everywhere, setting their traps, making sure they know every bit of ground so that they're prepared when the full moon comes.

"What kind of irresponsible idiot just takes off like that?" Peter grumbles, his eyes darting back and forth as he tries to pick up Derek's scent. But no such luck. How far could he have gone?

Peter and Laura continue to search, using their senses to their advantage as they avoid any nearby hunters while desperately trying to find Derek. 

Around ten minutes later, they finally pick up a trace of his scent, heading back in the direction of the house. Peter begins complaining once again because,  _we've_ _just spent twenty minutes looking for that idiot while he was on his way back home._

It doesn't take them long to realise that something is wrong; so very, very wrong. They speed up, both of them becoming more and more panicked as everything hits them; the sound of their family screaming in agony, desperate for someone to help them. The smell of burning wood and melting flesh, rising into the air along with thick, grey clouds of smoke.

They reach the house and Peter's stomach drops, his chest tightening as he watches the place he calls home be engulfed in bright orange flames. 

He doesn't even need to think about it, doesn't hesitate. He rushes to the tunnel entrance, knowing it's probably the safest way in and out at this point. Thankfully, the tunnel hasn't collapsed or been affected by the fire, allowing Peter to run through it, his heart racing as he gets closer and closer to the screams.

He reaches them and his heart leaps for a second because he might actually be able to save his family. But then his eyes land on the wall of fire, trapping them on the other side of the basement. He glances desperately around the room, the only other exits being the stairs into the house which was pointless to even risk and the small grate on the wall. But it's clear they can't get through that, the fire weakening them and the bars too strong.

Taking the risk, Peter launches forward, attempting to get through the fire to drag his family to safety if need be. As soon as his skin comes in contact with the flames, he hisses, watching it slowly burn away the top layer away. How is he meant to get through this?

He growls in frustration and tries once more, not stopping even when he can feel the skin slowly sizzling off the side of his face and arms. He can't just let his family die. He won't. 

And he would have kept going, would have fought through the flames, even if it meant he died along with them because he can't lose his entire family. But he heard someone calling his name through the tunnel, over and over again, as if hoping for a response.

Peter turns from the flames with wide eyes, searching for the owner of the voice, his senses too weakened to make out who it is based on scent. But when his eyes land on them, he wishes he had just continued pushing through the fire.

"Peter, you need to get out of here!" Chris Argent shouts, trying to be heard over the roaring of the fire and the screams all around them. "You need to go!"

Peter takes a step toward him, his eyes barely flickering blue. All he wants to do right now is tear Chris to pieces, knowing that this is because of his family. Every single person he cares about is burning to death and there's nothing he can do to help them. And that's all it takes for Peter to lunge forward, aiming to knock Chris down or at least hit him.

There's a crash from above them and a wooden beam swings down, too fast for Peter to move out of the way. 

It hits him, knocking any remaining air he had in his lungs straight out. There's a sickening crunch as he hits the wall behind him, his skull cracking and possibly breaking a few bones.

The last thing he sees is Chris running toward him, telling him to stay conscious. But he can't. His last thought is, _at least they won't be dying alone,_ before his vision goes black and he can no longer feel a thing.

When he next opens his eyes it's barely five minutes later, now laying on the crisp grass outside, surrounded by the smell of smoke. 

He attempts to get up, hoping and praying that his family might just have made it out alive. But when he turns his head, ignoring the throbbing pain it sends through his skull, his stomach drops.

Because the flames are still eating away at his home but there's no noise, no screams, no voices. Nothing except for the sound of the fire and a siren in the distance.

Peter doesn't even see the point in checking to see if anyone might have survived. He's almost certain his entire family is inside that house, nothing more than burned bodies or bones at this point.

"Peter?" A voice calls out to him, a twig or two crunching under their feet as they slowly approach him.

He doesn't even need to look at them to know who it is. "Why?" He asks, but it doesn't come out right; his voice too quiet, throat and chest too sore as he struggles for breath.

"Don't talk," Chris orders, his voice somehow firm but gentle at the same time. "The ambulance is on its way."

"I don't care," Peter says, ignoring Chris as he tries to push through the pain, but only makes it worse. "Why... Did you do this? Did you... save me?"

He hears Chris kneel down next to him, unable to see his face as he can't move his head without causing himself more pain. 

"I didn't do this, Peter. I... I would never..." Chris doesn't seem to be able to find the right words to explain, his voice hoarse, as if he's been crying or shouting. "I couldn't just... let you die. I tried to go back in, but... I'm sorry, Peter. I really am."

"You... should have..." Peter mutters, his eyes fluttering closed as the pain starts to overwhelm him. "Just let me die," he breathes out, the pain ripping through his lungs as he coughs. 

"I couldn't," Chris says quietly. "I can't." He swallows the lump in his throat, ignoring the burning at the back of his eyes. "But, Peter. I found Derek. He's alright. And so is Laura.

Peter tries to open his eyes, tries to turn to Chris and ask him where they are because he _needs_ to see them, he needs to _see_ that they're _alive_. But when he opens his mouth to speak, nothing comes out. He coughs, trying again to get out at least one word, but then he's coughing up blood and gasping for air as black dots dance in front of his eyes.

"Peter, you need to stay still." Chris grabs Peter's wrist, turning it over and checking for his pulse. It's weak and fading fast. "Just hold on, alright? It won't be long now. Just stay awake. For them. Stay awake for them."

And Peter tries; he really does, gritting his teeth and refusing to let his eyes close. But there's only so long he can fight it.

If he had known that the next time he sees the only family he has left, is when he kills Laura and betrays Derek, he would have begged Chris to kill him right then and there.

But he didn't know that. All he knows is that they're alive and he has to make it through this. He can't leave them on their own. 

The sirens are closer now and Peter is still trying his best to hold on, fighting against the pain and the overwhelming feeling that he should just let go. 

"It's okay," Chris says, and for a second Peter thinks he's talking to him. But then he hears footsteps, slowly making their way towards them. "I'm not going to hurt you, alright?"

"Derek, don't-" Laura tries to warn her little brother.

"It's Peter!" Derek snaps, clearly not listening to her. "He's hurt." 

Peter manages to turn his head just enough to see Derek, watching as he eyes Chris cautiously and walks forward slowly.

Once he's sure Chris isn't going to attack him, Derek turns his eyes to Peter, rushing over to him and kneeling on the ground. 

"Peter, what... your... what happened?" He finally asks. "Does it hurt?" He takes hold of Peter's hand, already beginning to draw his pain.

Peter smiles up at him weakly, trying his best to reassure his nephew. "I'm..." He coughs up more blood, a sharp pain stabbing at his lungs and chest. "I'm okay, Derek. Are... you? And... Laura, is she...?"

Derek doesn't look convinced but he tries to smile back, nodding quickly as a tear falls from his eye. "I'm okay. Laura's fine, too. We're okay."

"Good," Peter breathes out, his voice quiet. "That's... good. You need to... You... Look after each other... Okay?"

Derek nods again, squeezing Peter's hand tighter. "We will, I promise. But you're going to be okay, too. Right? You have to be. Please, Peter. You... you have to be okay."

Peter wants to reassure him, tell him that of course he's going to be okay and he's going to be there for them. But he can't. He can barely even breathe as he nods slowly, his eyes drifting closed as he tries to smile once more. 

"I promise," he manages. "I promise, Derek."

The last thing he hears is Derek crying, begging him to stay awake and stay alive because he needs him. And then Peter makes a decision, shutting his body and mind down, sending himself into a coma in the hopes of healing. It's risky and he knows he might not be able to come out of it, but if he can, it'll have been worth it.

He doesn't know that this might have been one of the worst decisions he's made. He doesn't know that doing this, sending himself into a coma for _years_  and trapping himself inside his own mind, will turn him into a revenge-driven monster. How could he? All he knows is that he needs to heal, he needs to be there for Derek and Laura. And to him, this was the only way to survive.


End file.
